The more pair split news the less sense they make. Is no one looking around saying wow, a lot of people are gone, we could do really well next year? C/J (if that's true), B/H and C/S were all in positions to do much better internationally in a depleted GP. MT/M were in all likelihood going to have a very good year. I'm not a D/R fan but I'm almost rooting for them because I'm starting to think they're the only ones who get the huge opportunity that next year presents.

Brian Joubert looks to has a trial with Daria Popova.
That would be exciting for France to have 3 credible couples.

I understand that it's not really a trial for Brian & Daria - they are working together this week to a) help her keep in shape and b) help him understand more about pair skating - he's said for a long time he wants to try it because he thinks it would help him later as a coach. Daria is still looking for a partner; she was in Russia a couple of weeks ago and is going back after this week with Brian is over.

I understand that it's not really a trial for Brian & Daria - they are working together this week to a) help her keep in shape and b) help him understand more about pair skating - he's said for a long time he wants to try it because he thinks it would help him later as a coach. Daria is still looking for a partner; she was in Russia a couple of weeks ago and is going back after this week with Brian is over.

It's reported that she has an unnamed Ukrainian partner. I believe someone said Lavrentieva and Rudyk split so maybe it's him.

Isabella and Ilia will probably skate for Lithuania though, right? If they skate for Russia, it will be difficult for them to make the World team. Plus, would Russia really just hand Tobias Russian citizenship so shortly after her getting Lithuanian citizenship? I think it would be more likely that Tkachenko would get Lithuanian citizenship instead, since IIRC, he hasn't done a citizenship change/addition yet.

Isabella and Ilia will probably skate for Lithuania though, right? If they skate for Russia, it will be difficult for them to make the World team. Plus, would Russia really just hand Tobias Russian citizenship so shortly after her getting Lithuanian citizenship? I think it would be more likely that Tkachenko would get Lithuanian citizenship instead, since IIRC, he hasn't done a citizenship change/addition yet.

I don't know if Russia would "just hand Tobias Russian citizenship", but would Lithuania just hand their citizenship to Katsalapov? It was hard enough for Tobias to get Lithuanian citizenship and if I recall correctly, it took several attempts trying to get it before she was granted the citizenship. Getting Russian citizenship may be easier, but yes, there is a chance that they would not be on the world team because they would not be Russian team 1-3. On the other hand, why would Russia want to release a skater who has been representing them the last few years internationally, and who has been the last few years 4-5th at Europeans? Would USA release a skater who was representing them the last few years internationally and placed 4-5 at 4CC? Or would they try to hold him for as long as possible?

Right now Russia has a plethora of dance teams and Ilia is 28. With his old partner they were #4 at best, with a new partner they would be even lower. I can see Russia letting him go as long as he is going to a former SSR and not to the US.

Tkachenko can probably get a release if he pays back any funding he received from Russia. It's unlikely there would be any preferential treatment for Lithuania from Russia. Their relationship is no better than Russia's relationship with the United States. The Baltic states fear that Russia could try to invade them again (Putin's actions in Ukraine have only heightened this fear), and Russia has sometimes claimed those countries' Russian-speaking minorities are discriminated against. Tkachenko may find it even more than difficult than Tobias to get Lithuanian citizenship but perhaps they're Ok with not going to the Olympics.

I don't know if Russia would "just hand Tobias Russian citizenship", but would Lithuania just hand their citizenship to Katsalapov? It was hard enough for Tobias to get Lithuanian citizenship and if I recall correctly, it took several attempts trying to get it before she was granted the citizenship. Getting Russian citizenship may be easier, but yes, there is a chance that they would not be on the world team because they would not be Russian team 1-3. On the other hand, why would Russia want to release a skater who has been representing them the last few years internationally, and who has been the last few years 4-5th at Europeans? Would USA release a skater who was representing them the last few years internationally and placed 4-5 at 4CC? Or would they try to hold him for as long as possible?

Yes, that is true that Ilia might have trouble being released, even though he's not from one of the best of the best teams. I'm guessing he would still want to go to an Olympics.. maybe it doesn't matter to her as much, since she's been to one.

It's unlikely there would be any preferential treatment for Lithuania from Russia. Their relationship is no better than Russia's relationship with the United States.

Tell them to people who still speaks about Baltic states as allies of Russia.

Anyway, I don't think Lithuania will expect preferential treatment from Russia.
After all, LTU has blocked transfers to Russia in other sports, if I'm not mistaken. The two countries and FED's are not friendly at all.
I think Italy's Fed is more friendly with Russia than any of the Baltic countries.